The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for selling a commodity, a vending machine and a storage medium. The method includes: acquiring an image of eyes of a user, determining based on the image of eyes a gaze point of the user within a commodity displaying plane matching a vending machine; determining, based on position coordinates of at least two commodities in the commodity displaying plane and the gaze point, an expected commodity corresponding to the user; providing commodity indication information of the expected commodity to the user; and in response to detecting purchase confirmation information fed back by the user for the commodity indication information, guiding the user to use at least one biological characteristic to finish payment for the expected commodity.

The present disclosure relates to a flowable edible product dispensing apparatus, including: a programmable controller; a touchscreen interface including an indicator of at least one edible item for selection, the operator interface in communication with the programmable controller a dispensing system in communication the operator interface, the programmable controller, being wirelessly connected to the internet, and being operable to associate the at least one edible item with the least one flowable edible and/or inedible product; and the dispensing system dispenses an amount of the at least one flowable edible and/or inedible product associated with the selected edible item when the at least one edible and/or inedible item is selected.

A system for managing and processing a consumer transaction is provided, comprising a product delivery system adapted to provide a product to a consumer; a point of sale (POS) system in communication with the product delivery system; and a consumer interface screen in communication with the POS system, wherein the consumer interface screen is adapted to display information to the consumer about a proposed transaction, prompt the consumer to engage in the proposed transaction, and receive input from the consumer required to complete the proposed transaction. The system further comprises a consumer recognition system having sensors capable of recognizing consumer attributes related to the consumer; and a media distribution unit in communication with the consumer recognition system to deliver information about the proposed transaction to the consumer interface screen based on recognition of the consumer attributes.

A device with one or more processors, memory, and two or more communication capabilities obtains, from a payment module, an authorization request via a first communication capability (e.g., Bluetooth). The device sends, to a server, the authorization request via a second communication capability distinct from the first communication capability (e.g., cellular or WiFi technology). In response to sending the authorization request, the device obtains, from the server, authorization information via the second communication capability. After obtaining the authorization information, the device detects a trigger condition to perform a transaction with a payment accepting unit associated with the payment module. In response to detecting the trigger condition, the device sends, to the payment module, at least a portion of the authorization information via the first communication capability.

A system and method of sourcing materials by connecting or matching Sellers having present or expected inventory with Buyers having present or expected necessity while minimizing or eliminating the use of a third party intermediary are disclosed. In some implementations, a method of sourcing materials may generally comprise receiving bid information from a candidate Seller and demand data from a candidate Buyer, comparing the bid information and the demand data to match a portion of the candidate Seller's inventory to the candidate Buyer's need (to identify a transaction), allocating and routing the portion of the inventory to the candidate Buyer via a transportation carrier, and augmenting the historical data with information associated with the transaction.

Systems and methods that perform automated selection and delivery of a fastener. The system or apparatus may include a fastener inventory portion that retains a plurality of fasteners; a user delivery portion; a transfer assembly that affords physical transport of a fastener selection from the fastener inventory portion to the user delivery portion; a fastener attribute assembly that inputs desired fastener attribute data (DFA data) regarding a desired fastener; a computer system that interfaces with the fastener attribute assembly to input the DFA data; maps the DFA data to at least one fastener candidate; determines a fastener selection amongst the at least one fastener candidate; determines a number of discrete units of the desired fastener that comprise the fastener selection; and controls the transfer assembly to retrieve the fastener selection from the fastener inventory portion and physically transport the fastener selection to the user delivery portion.

A mobile consumer device with a display, processor(s), and memory: identifies a merchant device in proximity to the consumer device based on broadcasted information transmitted by the first merchant device, the broadcasted information including a first identifier corresponding to the first merchant device; transmits the first identifier to a server and receives from the server an electronic communication including identification and transaction information associated with the merchant; displays the identification information, receives user selection of the merchant identification information; and in response, displays the merchant transaction information, receives supplemental user information, and transmits the supplemental transaction information to the server for completion of the transaction.

An offline retail machine comprising a short-range transceiver, one or more processors, and memory performs communications operations via one or more mobile devices. The communications operations include establishing via the short-range transceiver a connection with a first mobile device, and transmitting first information to the first mobile device. Upon not receiving an acknowledgement that the first information was received by a remote server, the offline retail machine maintains the first information in the memory and establishes, via the short-range transceiver, a connection with a second mobile device, appends the first information to second information, and transmits the first and second information to the second mobile device. Upon receiving acknowledgement that the first and second information were received by a remote server, the offline retail machine deletes the first and second information.

Techniques for recommending actions for a merchant to perform to encourage or discourage a sale of an item based on a threshold condition associated with the item. A service provider may obtain data from a plurality of merchants related to inventory, transactions, and actions taken by the merchants to change sales of an item offered for sale by the merchant. Based on determining a current inventory of the item in the merchant's inventory, determining that a condition is within a threshold condition, and via application of a data model that is trained on actions of similar merchants, the service provider may send a recommendation to the merchant to perform an action to encourage or discourage the sale of the item.

A mobile device with a first transceiver, a second transceiver, one or more processors, and memory bridges communications between an offline retail machine with a short-range communication capability and a remote server by obtaining via the first transceiver a single-use request code from an information packet broadcast by the offline retail machine; transmitting via the second transceiver the single-use request code to a remote server; obtaining via the second transceiver from the remote server a grant token including the single-use request code; detecting a trigger condition for initiating provision of a product or service by the offline retail machine; and in response to detecting the trigger condition, initiating performance of the provision of the product or service by transmitting the grant token to the offline retail machine via the first transceiver.